Introduction

VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) English Language (henceforth EL) was introduced into senior years at Victorian schools in Australia in 2000 as described by Jean Mulder in Chapter 5 of this book. As most teachers are likely aware, it's relatively rare for a new subject to be added to the school curriculum so it is pleasing to note that schools, teachers, and students are taking on EL in ever increasing numbers. It is a mark of the perceived relevance and popularity of the subject that the number of schools offering the Year 12 subject has expanded from 9 in 2000 to 89 in 2007. This is 17 percent of the schools which offer VCE English. All types of schools offer EL including: State, Independent, Catholic, and Adult Education.

As two teachers who have been involved in the subject since its inception, we have been excited by how quickly EL has been adopted by schools. We have been part of its development and our discussion here is a compilation of our experiences and those of many other teachers of the subject.

Why students choose English Language

It is our experience that students who are very good at English are choosing Literature and EL in Year 12, or English and EL. On the other hand, some students take EL to “escape reading,” and the dreaded “analysis of language” that is required of them in the English course.